The Catholic Accent 2014-12-04 - Volume 54, No. 14 : Page 1

Catholic Accent The Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014 Volume 54, No. 14 On the Journey of a Lifetime with the people of the Diocese of Greensburg, Pa. MEN CONTINUE JOURNEY TO PERMANENT DIACONATE Mary Seamans/The Catholic Accent From left, Stephen Black, Jeffrey Cieslewicz, William Newhouse and Michael Orange declare their intention to continue discerning their vocation to the permanent diaconate at the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders Nov. 30 at St. Barbara Parish, Harrison City. See story on page 4. New Diocesan Heritage Center opens to public Dec. 13 GREENSBURG — The Dioc-esan Heritage Center, which was established by Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt to collect, preserve and assemble the cultural and archival patrimony of the Diocese of Greensburg, will open to the public Saturday, Dec. 13. Bishop Brandt blessed the cen-ter, which is adjacent to the Indi-ana Room in the Bishop William G. Connare Center on U.S. Route 30 east of Greensburg, May 13. The theme of the opening exhibit is Mary, Mother of God, who is the diocesan patroness as Our Lady of the Assumption. The Marian exhibit runs through Feb. 14; a new exhibit is being planned for Lent. The center will be open on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m., beginning Dec. 13. The center will be closed Dec. 27. Heritage Center items are from the current diocesan ar-chives, located at the Pastoral Center, and from parishes, pa-rishioners, schools, priests and religious institutions within the diocese. The Marian exhibit includes an icon of the Madonna and child Jesus that was made by Fabergé for Russian Czar Nicholas II and now belongs to the Sisters of St. Basil the Great at Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown. Bishop Brandt said he has always been impressed with the history of the diocese and its parishes “because it shows the tremendously deep faith and generosity of the people who built and founded our parishes at great sacrifices.” Though the Diocese of Greens-burg is relatively young, having been established in 1951, the Catholic history of the four coun-ties that make up the diocese— Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana and Westmoreland — dates back more than two centuries. A Diocesan Heritage Center Commission was established to advise the bishop. It is chaired by Margaret DiVirgilio and in-cludes Judith O’Toole, director of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art. Jerry Bertig, director for facilities manage-ment at the Bishop Connare Center, is an ex officio member of the Diocesan Heritage Center Commission and will serve as the onsite supervisor for the center. Groups can schedule weekday visits to the Heritage Center by calling the Connare Center at 724-834-7350. — Jerry Zufelt Jerry Zufelt/The Catholic Accent Helene Paharik, left, and Margaret DiVirgilio, members of the Dioc-esan Heritage Center Commission, prepare a Marian exhibit Nov. 26 in advance of the center’s opening. ADDRESS LABEL INSIDE THIS ISSUE Page 6 Sacred Heart Parish, Jeannette, celebrates its 125-year anniversary. Pages 8-9: Reflections for Advent Page 16 Pope Francis opens the Year of Consecrated Life.